Bloody Embrace
by LadyOfTheMist27
Summary: Three rules only: One, humans are livestock. Two, if they behave, they will be treated with dignity. And last, they must deny nothing to the King. Not even their bodies. Vamp!Asami
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Hello, everyone! I'm back with another fic! This one's different from The Scoop in that it probably won't have as much fluff (I say probably because my brain is hyperactive and I get in arguments with it sometimes)! However, I hope that everyone will enjoy this! Also, this chapter might be a bit boring because it's a set-up chapter, but I promise that things will get interesting soon!**

Around him, the world seemed to be falling down. The sky gleamed red, lit by the fires that ate up the metropolis of Tokyo. Screams of the dead and dying rent the air, echoing through cold structures of steel and concrete. The smell of blood, iron and acrid, saturated the air. He lamented the loss of precious food, but there was no helping it.

Like a disobedient dog, the humans had to be brought to heel. And to discipline a dog, punishments were in order. A long tongue snaked out and wet his lips. The heady mix of terror and blood that surrounded him was almost too much. Gold eyes momentarily flashed red, round pupils, tightening into reptilian slits. But no. He took a deep breath, calming himself. Slowly, red returned back to gold, the crimson draining from his irises. Very soon, the world would bow to him.

Asami Ryuichi the Third, King of the Vampires, allowed himself a sinister smile.

It had all begun with a letter. On January the 14th, 2022, an innocuous letter had somehow made its way upon the desk of the Japanese prime minister. The contents of it were simple and the message blunt: humanity must bow to their masters, the vampires, or else face severe retribution.

Of course, the prime minister dismissed it immediately, sure that some person out there wanted to see how far their silly hoax could get. The letter was thrown away and forgotten. Things, however, began to escalate a week later. More and more letters began to crop up in the oddest of places. On the doorsteps of important politicians. Tucked into their piles of neatly ordered paperwork. And occasionally, in their houses, sitting on a table or nightstand innocently.

It was a worryingly high number of security breaches, but no action was taken besides an upping of bodyguards around the men. After all, Japan would become the world's laughingstock if they surrendered to this group of "vampires". The prime minister and his peers held firm, not giving any ground, not even acknowledging the letters. And on March 14th, White Day, things came to head.

It had been a perfectly ordinary spring day, bright and warm. Women and men walked along the streets of Tokyo as they did every day, hurrying to their jobs or other appointments. No one had any idea that this was the day that everything would change. At precisely 8:00 AM, a boom sounded as the entire city shook. Heads turned automatically towards the plume of smoke that drifted towards the air. Gasps of shock filled the air as hands raised to cover open mouths. The women and men could only stare in blank shock as the Tokyo Skytree crumbled to the ground, smoke rising from several open areas that had obviously been riddled with explosives. Distant screams began to sound, the helpless men and women trapped in the tower and nearby it shrieking in horror and pain. Within five minutes, the streets were congested even more than usual. Police cars and ambulances trying desperately to reach the chaotic area, other men and women driving away from the debris, for fear that another building would collapse. Utter anarchy.

Simultaneously, the screens in the most crowded areas of Tokyo, currently broadcasting the awful news of the accident, flickered off and then on. People stopped in their frantic conversations, turning fearful eyes onto the newest anomaly that had come to utterly shred their normal routines. At this point, they were prepared for the worst. The screens flickered for a little bit longer, stabilizing gradually until the people were greeted with an image of a stunningly handsome man. Black hair slicked back and crimson eyes amused on the surface, but with a hard edge, gazed into the camera. "Hello, humans," He greeted. "My name is Asami Ryuichi and I am the person who brought down the Skytree."

A small pause for the news to sink in. Whispers and gasps broke out, as several people raised their phones and began to take photographs of the man and the destruction around them. The entire world would hear about this in seconds.

"I know that many people will believe me on face value," He allowed, "But I'm sure that many will also be skeptical. Therefore, I will put your doubts to rest. It is currently 8:29 AM. At 8:30 AM, the Tokyo Tower will fall."

The crowd stilled, many checking their watches, gazing at the second hand that ticked slowly to 12. Another boom shook the square. Eyes laden with dread, they turned towards the smoking tower as the metal supports slowly bent and snapped, the entire thing falling with a moaning crash. Another explosion sounded as it hit the ground, probably rupturing some gas tank or hitting an underground pipe.

"As you can see, I am indeed the one orchestrating this whole thing." The handsome man smiled, completely unperturbed by the fact that he had just killed hundreds of innocents. "Once again, I am Asami Ryuichi. I have come with a proposition from my people to yours." He smiled, exposing undeniably sharp canines.

Confusion flitted through the air at the strange wording of the sentence. His people? An extremist group? A religious cult? A group of anarchists?

"We are vampires," He said bluntly. "And as such we require food. The proposition is this: In return for your safety and wellbeing, we ask that you make…donations. More specifically, we require the entire human race to donate their blood to us periodically. In return, we will build perfectly safe, sanitary cities where they may live and carry on their normal lives. And if you choose not to cooperate," The smile vanished off his lips as his eyes narrowed. Even through the screen his killer's aura was palpable. "We will destroy you."

The screens all abruptly flickered again, returning to the frantic news programs from before, now covering the fall of the Tokyo Tower. People stood, shell shocked, their eyes blank with fear and confusion. Nobody knew what to expect or believe, if they should give into these "vampires" or just surrender. But inside, they all knew one truth of this situation. Things would never be the same ever again.

Tokyo did not, in fact, surrender. With several other first world countries aiding them, the entire county of Japan scoured its borders for these elusive beings. News stations broadcasted moral boosting programs, filled with loyal citizens swearing that they would never bow to these tyrants, no matter what they claimed to be. All the nations across the globe were in accordance: it would not do to give a single inch to these people.

But neither hide nor hair of any vampire was found. Despite their best efforts, all police and FBI forces drew a blank. Even when the scope of the search was enlarged to include surrounding countries, nobody came up as suspicious. All leads led to dead ends, and the world leaders became uneasy. Security was almost quadrupled in large populated areas, police standing everywhere, always alert in case another disaster occurred. All of Tokyo was keyed up and on edge, suspicious of everyone around them. Soon, voices even rose up, demanding that they surrender to these vampires, that they did not wish to die in an explosion or have their loved ones killed. All the complaints were ignored by the resolute government.

On July 7th, the second catastrophe occurred. At noon, without warning, ten bombs went off inside the city. They had been strategically placed in areas where they would do the most structural damage, and therefore in the most public of places with the most security. This time, the King appeared to the city atop a building and across all the screens in the ruined city. He stood proudly as Tokyo burned. "This is your last warning." He intoned. "Surrender or die, humanity."

Japan surrendered that day, and the world soon followed. Humans had become livestock.

**AN: So…like it? Hate it? Please comment and tell me what you think!**


	2. Chapter 2

Aki had to admit, the cities were impressive. Gigantic, sprawling metropoli, pristine and new, rising from the ground. A mere decade, and already the vampires had broken down all the big cities and reassembled them into perfectly sanitary cities. That part of their promise, they had adhered to perfectly. After the bombing of Tokyo, new cities began to rise, perfectly architectured and planned out. A virtual utopia, developed by humanity's worst nightmare.

At the same time, all big cities of the "past" were disassembled, the buildings taken apart to be used in the new areas and the land eventually returned to its former condition. A wipe of the past, a firm resolve to start anew with a clean slate. Soon, humans would forget their far away roots, and content themselves with their obvious role in life—as livestock. Intelligent, useful livestock, yes, but livestock nonetheless.

Looking at the tall, beautiful skyscrapers, the lovely houses and apartments, Aki wanted to spit. It was unnatural, the perfect right angles, the sterile white of the streets. Tokyo had been _real_. Sure, there were ugly and pretty parts, but it had felt organic, a breathing city that had been built by humans. _This _was the work of vampires. Control freaks, every one of them. He felt a pair of arms wrap around his back. "Neh, Aki," Kou said cheerily, "Are you part of the operation tonight?"

"You kidding?" He snorted, turning around. "Of course. Has Mitarai released the details yet?"

Kou nodded enthusiastically. "We're leaving at sunset and hitting the Fifth Sector. The hospital there has apparently eased up on its security, since it hasn't been attacked for a couple of years."

"You think they'll have the medicine?" Aki asked pensively. While they, the humans who lived away from the cities, hiding, could provide themselves with food, medicine was another matter. Antibiotics and sterilizers were valuable resources, ones they had to snatch from the vampires. Usually with high risks, considering how fast the things were. But there was no helping it, Ai-chan had gotten bitten by a stray dog three days ago and already the wound was beginning to purple and fester.

"They better." Kou said fiercely. "And if they don't, we'll just have to find another facility to raid. Momohara-san needs the medicine."

Nodding in agreement, Aki turned, walking back to the woods. Their small village was hidden in the dense trees, and the vampires didn't care to comb through the woods for a couple of insignificant humans that didn't raise a fuss. After all, they had a practically unlimited amount of food now. He felt his lips curl up in a snarl. This is what they had been reduced to, a mere hundred people hiding in the forests, trying their best not to be caught and drained. One day, he vowed, humans would have their revenge.

* * *

Asami felt his eye twitch as the sniveling man continued his not-so-subtle attempts to marry his daughter off to him. No, he did not want to marry at the moment, and most definitely not with that girl. Her teeth shone like crooked tombstones as she attempted a smile, and he almost pitied the child. It was obvious that she knew she had a snowball's chance in hell of making this work.

"…really a sweet docile girl, would serve you faithfully." The words drew him out of his pit of simmering annoyance. _What is he doing, selling me a dog?_

Forcing a small smile, he forced out the words, "Unfortunately, I am not interested in marriage at the moment. However, I will wish your daughter good luck in her future marital endeavors." _Lord knows she'll need it._

The disheartened man was swiftly ushered from his office, Kirishima sensing his rising temper. Leaning back in his chair, he rubbed his temples. Even if they were his people, the vampire aristocracy was irritating at best, mind-numbingly dumb at worst. A mere decade of ruling and already they had grown complacent and arrogant. He knew better. While the continent of Asia had been thoroughly stomped down, there were many rebels in Europe and the Americas. And even here in Japan, there were some little mice who dared to thieve.

"What's my schedule for the rest of the day, Kirishima?" He asked, passing a hand over his eyes.

"You are free until approximately eight o'clock tonight, Asami-sama." The secretary pushed his glasses up his nose, light glinting off of them. Why he wore them, Asami would never know, all vampires were gifted with perfect eyesight. A fashion statement maybe?

"What do I have at eight?"

"An anonymous source informed us of a small rebel band planning to raid the hospital in the Fifth Sector," Kirishima said crisply. "I assumed you would want to teach them a lesson in person."

"Indeed." Asami nodded in approval. Maybe taking his anger out on a couple of humans would calm him. It wouldn't do to throw a member of the aristocracy out of a window, after all. They had to present a united front; any weakness would be exploited, if not by humans, than by other factions. His upper lip curled as he thought of the annoying bastards occupying Russia. Mikhail could have that frozen hell if he wanted it. Even the humans there were belligerent and half drunk, or so he had heard.

"Send in the string quarter." He ordered Kirishima, who nodded obediently and left to summon the musicians. Leaning back, he swirled his goblet of viscous blood. Who would've thought that by conquering the humans he had mired himself in utter boredom? Sitting back to the sounds of smooth cellos and sweet violins, he contented himself in these temporary pleasures.

* * *

As the sun set, they watched as curfew occurred. Instantly, the streets became silent as all humans went home, lights gradually blinking out. Nodding to the others, Aki swiftly climbed up a shorter, less enforced section of the wall that surrounded the town, using the vine that had begun growing there as a support. Dropping down, he pulled up his hood, assuming the appearance of a very late human hurrying home. Not like the guards paid much mind to them, as long as they looked like they knew where they were going. Taking a left then a right, followed by Kou, Takato, and Mitarai, he arrived at the hospital. Looking up at the towering structure, he couldn't help but feel the overpowering sense of awe one felt when seeing things vampires made. The building was lovely at night and stunning by day, possessing large airy rooms and frequent courtyards, perfect for soothing the moods of cooped up patients. Built for form and function.

Kou impatiently poked him in the back. "Oi, hurry up! I think I see another patrol coming!"

Hurriedly, he ducked in, followed by the others. At nighttime, the hospital was dark and silent. Usually, the bigger ones had more security roaming around, and staff members on hand. This one, however, had been growing lax, cutting costs. "Second floor, third room on the left." Kou hissed.

They crept up the stairwell, careful to avoid the watchful cameras. The trick was to move very, very slowly, so that the recording device didn't swivel. Inch by inch, they moved, hardly daring to breathe. One misstep and security would arrive within minutes, and vampires were hardly merciful to humans. Eventually, they reached the top, and swiftly walked towards the third door on the left, stepping carefully as to not make much noise. This hospital was mainly for humans, who couldn't see or hear nearly as well as the vampires, which made their snooping a lot easier.

"Move." Mitarai grunted. Reaching into his pocket, he withdrew his lockpicks, making short work of the door's lock. It wasn't like hospitals had encrypted locks, metal ones were much more convenient for everyday use. "Yeah!" He cheered lowly under his breath as the lock clicked open.

Aki just stared at the now unlocked door. Something felt wrong. Off. It had almost been too easy, the infiltration of the hospital, the lack of any guards. Even the blatantly easy lock on the storage closet.

"Wait." Involuntarily, the hushed word left his lips.

Turning impatiently, Mitarai quirked an eyebrow. "What is it, Aki? We don't have much time."

Shaking his head, he put behind himself his doubt. Ai-chan needed this. "Nothing, go ahead."

Nodding in satisfaction, Mitarai turned the doorknob silently, pushing it in. And that was when everything was shot to hell.

**AN: Please leave a review if you liked it, they make my day!**


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: And here it is, their long-awaited meeting! Be warned, Asami has some skewed world views. For the record, I put off an entire weekend of studying to write this *sweatdrop***

Asami almost found it cute how very _loud_ humans were. Their "light" footsteps rang loud and clear to his ears, and their hushed murmurs might as well have been a normal conversation. Sitting back, he waited for the door to open, the consummate predatory feline, ready to corner its prey.

Sure enough, the door swung open with a small creak. Typical humans, forgetting the small details. They hadn't even oiled the hinges of the door. Leading them was the taller man they called Mitarai. He seemed unobservant, Asami noted, considering that he had yet to be spotted sitting on top of a cabinet. Following was the more cautious one, Akihito, and two others. Immeadietly, they made for the cabinets, stepping carefully. From the provided information, it seemed that they were after the precious antibiotics stored here. It was a pity that they would never get them. "Now." He said it softly, so softly the humans could hear nothing more than a wisp of air. Immediately, Kirishima dropped down, dealing a swift blow to the leading—and strongest—human's neck, rendering him unconscious. The three others froze in shock, their eyes widening, unable to register the scene.

A smile crept onto his face as he licked his lips. He could almost sense all the delicious blood, moving faster and faster in those bodies, pulsating with fear. Ah, having an endless supply of food was great, but he had truly missed the hunt. He straightened, feeling their eyes land on him, taking in his strong frame and golden eyes, now tingeing with crimson.

One human, however, recovered quickly. Before Kirishima could stop him, the little one pulled out a whistle, blowing it fiercely. A shrill shriek sounded, attacking his ears. His very _sensitive, vampiric_ ears. Involuntarily, Asami flinched, a clawed hand reaching up to cover his ear as the dizzying noise resounded in his eardrums, echoing. "Run!" He hears the boy yell to his friends, smashing open a window and shoving them out. As he frantically gestured, still tooting that goddamn whistle, he caught his arm on a broken shard of glass, scoring a long, shallow cut that oozed red.

Sweet. Asami felt his mouth pool as his eyes bled red, pupils turning reptilian. He smelled so _sweet_. Ignoring the awful sound that continued to blast forward, his body surged forward, grabbing the boy as he tried to escape. Cruelly crushing the plastic toy in his hand, he snatched up the injured arm, running his tongue up the cut, collecting every drop of blood. It tasted like liquid innocence, all airy and sweet, with just a touch of salt that left him craving more.

Faintly, he heard the boy's shrieks of agitation and fear, felt the punches that he dodged effortlessly. That wouldn't do, how would he ever feed with this commotion? Pinning Akihito's arms against a wall, he nosed along that slender neck, searching. Where was it? That pulsing river of sweet relief…ah, here it was. Without hesitation, he plunged his fangs into the creamy skin, drinking. Sweet, thick blood flooded his mouth, quenching his thirst thoroughly. He was almost tempted to drain the human in one go, but that would be such a waste of blood. Pulling back, he looked at his hapless victim for the first time.

Angry, watery hazel eyes gazed at him, a tiny angular face framed with silky blond hair. _Beautiful. _The thought rose unbidden to his mind. His eyes went lower, looking at the puncture wounds and cut that still oozed blood. Pulling the boy—Akihito, his name was Akihito—closer, he licked over the wounds, collecting a bit more blood. Aki weakly struggled, obviously in pain and weak from blood loss.

"Bring bandages." He commanded Kirishima. "And antiseptics."

Obediently, his assistant walked over to one of the cabinets and produced some clean white gauze and a bottle of sterilizer. Asami carefully cleaned and bandaged both areas, wrapping them in the gauze before lifting up the boy, who was now embroiled in an uneasy sleep. Even with a small frown situated on his face, he looked adorable. Kissing away the wrinkle between his brows, Asami stood, carrying him bridal style. "We're leaving, Kirishima."

"Would you not like to chase after the humans who escaped, my lord?" The man respectfully inquired.

The thought of chasing them through the drizzling rain that had begun to fall wasn't very appealing. "Another time. After all," He took in the fragile perfection of the creature in his arms, "I've won quite the prize."

"And this man sir?" A foot nudged the still form of Mitarai.

"Dispose of him."

"Very well, sir."

* * *

It was so warm and soft. How long had it been since he had slept in a proper bed, with fluffy, clean blankets? Aki stretched, feeling soft cotton press against his naked skin. Naked? He never slept like that. And he didn't sleep in a bed either. His eyes snapped open as he sat up, frantically looking around. It was all coming back now, the horribly botched mission, Mitarai, Kou and Takato escaping. Having his blood drunken by that vampire. Not just any vampire, oh no. Asami the Third, His Highness, Aki thought sarcastically.

Looking around, his eyes slowly adjusted to the light. He was in a condo, a very expensive ones by the looks of it. Floor to ceiling windows let in gentle beams of sunlight, and he lay on a fluffy four-poster king-sized bed, decorated in golds and browns. And was that…the smell of food? His hand reached up to touch his injured neck, and was met with soft, clean gauze. It seemed like someone had been kind enough to bandage him up.

The door to the bedroom opened, and in stepped a familiar figure. Aki gasped, pressing himself against the headboard, frantically trying to vanish, to get away. When it became clear he wasn't going to slip through the wall, he snatched up the nearest object, a crystal vase, and flung it at Asami with all of his strength.

The man dodged the projectile, letting it hit the wall and shatter. A smile curved up his lips. His instincts had been correct; this toy would provide much amusement. "Why the anger?" He set down the tray on the now empty nightstand.

"Let me go." Akihito's voice trembled with fear and anger.

"I'm afraid I can't do that," Asami's eyes took on a dangerous cast. "You are mine, after all."

"Don't be delusional, I'm not your anything." Aki spat. "Filthy vampire."

"And what do you have against my kind?" Genuine curiosity gleamed in his eyes. "I have improved the lives of your species a thousand times over."

"What? You think that _this_," Aki frantically gestured at the view of the pristine, perfect city. "Is good? You have _enslaved_ an entire species as food!"

"How's that any different from what you do to cows? And besides, it's not like we kill you," Asami said matter-of-factly, "It's just a prick, once a month. You can afford to donate a pint; we can't afford to die."

"Then why couldn't you have just _negotiated_?" Aki spat. "Instead, you've killed people, just so you could have absolute dominion."

Asami laughed. "Oh, my innocent little Akihito." He sat on the bed, staring into those defiant, burning eyes. "You know your own species. Don't tell me you honestly think they would've cooperated? Humanity is stubborn and can barely do what's good for itself. I, on the other hand, have given your species a life of perfection. A city with no crime, no filth. I even offer protection from the other vampire organizations."

"Other…vampires…?" Aki tilted his head in confusion.

"You didn't think that I managed to take over the world did you?" Asami's voice hit the perfect balance of condescension and amusement. "No, no, there are others, _many _others. Do you know what the people in Russia are dealing with right now?"

Aki slowly shook his head, almost afraid of the answer.

Leaning closer, Asami let his lips skim the delicious pink shell of his ear and whispered, "Chaos everywhere. Vampires just snatching up humans, drinking from whoever they please. Thousands have frozen to death and many more have given up and practically formed a church for the vampires. I hear my more sadistic peers aren't even averse to rape."

Asami sat back, and took in his tiny prisoner's new expression. Aki sat there, pale as a sheet, and trembling just a tiny bit. The change of scenery, the abrupt news, the fading adrenaline must have hit him hard. A tiny part of his shriveled heart warmed. Gathering up Akihito, he put him in his lap. "But here, in Japan, there is none of that," His voice changed from cold and harsh to as soothing as golden honey, "Here, we only prosper, and everyone is, if not happy, at least safe. Stay here and you will never want for anything, for I will protect you and everyone in this country."

He felt Aki's chest heave as he let out a tiny whimper, then his tears. Sitting there, he let him cry and cry, lit by the backdrop of NeoTokyo, brilliant white and silver in the noonday sun. A demon king holding an innocent angel.

**AN: Yeah…you know when I said that Ai would be okay? That turned out to be a lie. I was TOTALLY going to make everything turn out alright, somehow, but it seems like the plot is being really stubborn :(**


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: I'm baaaaaack! I've missed you all lots, but now my competition is over, so it's back to writing for me! Hope you all enjoy!**

Everything hurt. Ai shifted, trying to change her position, find a way to relieve the pain that seemed to attack her every neuron. But nothing helped, and she felt the dull, hot ache from all over, punctuated by the burning pain on the jagged gash of her left thigh. Was this it? Through her blurry, tired eyes, she could see the rot, all brown and green on her wound. Her very flesh was decaying, even though she was alive. She allowed her eyes to slip shut, not wanting to see the gaping flesh anymore. The smell alone was more than enough.

"Ai-chan? It's time for your water." Opening her eyes, she was greeted with Kou, his auburn bangs, uncut and hanging in his brown eyes. He held a cracked cup with some cool water swishing inside.

She shook her head. No, what was the use, she wanted to ask, to give a dead girl water? It was just a waste. Kou insistently pressed the cup to her lips, looking into her eyes pleadingly. "You have to drink, Ai-chan, you're running a high fever." Even his eyes, though, looked helpless and sorrowful. _He really has such pretty eyes…_

She smiled with great effort, putting every last ounce of strength into just turning up the corners of her lips. It would not do to say goodbye with a grimace. Her last breath wafted out of her slightly parted lips, and she died to the sound of Kou's anguished wails.

* * *

It didn't take Aki long to realize that Asami was a creature of habit. Daily, he would leave bed (not wake up, as far as Aki could tell, the damned man didn't sleep at all, and simply stayed in bed for the express purpose of cuddling his new toy) at 9 sharp, and go sit in his study, going through inhuman—heh—amounts of paperwork. One time, Aki had glanced over his shoulder, and almost toppled over from boredom right then and there. Paragraphs upon paragraphs of microtext concerning road construction and general infrastructure.

Whenever it was time for his first meeting, his ever-faithful secretary Kirishima-san would show up, and the pair would leave for the day, leaving Aki alone in the securely locked room. Lately, Asami had taken to patting him on the head before he shut the door with a firm order to be good.

Aki huffed in frustration, chopping vegetables for the stir-fry. What was he doing, cooking food for his captor? His captor, who apparently didn't need human food but very much enjoyed it. But over the course of a long month, he had also realized that while Asami was very careful to keep the condo _looking _normal, he had no qualms against implementing absurd security measures. The windows opened very narrowly, impossible to escape from, and even if he found a way, it was a roughly 75 meter drop to the ground. The panels of glass that overlooked the city were reinforced and probably bulletproof. They could withstand a thrown wooden chair, that's for sure. One time, he stashed a knife in the bathroom, a desperate last resort for the sake of personal protection. The next day, the knife was gone, and a lollipop left in its stead. _Smug bastard_. Who the fuck bugged his own home anyways?! Ugh, if the pervy vampire looked at the footage while he was showering, he would definitely throw a fit.

So here he was, slowly biding his time and waiting for an opening to appear in Asami's web. And cooking dinner for two. A series of mechanical beeps sounded as someone punched in the 10 digit lock code. "Welcome back." He greeted mechanically. That had been a particular fixation of Asami's: That they use proper greetings.

"I'm home." The vampire smiled, fangs showing. Fangs that had dug into his neck that night. He repressed an inner shudder of fear and disgust. "What's for dinner?"

"Stir-fry." He turned back to his pan which he had filled with warming oil. A pair of arms encircled his waist as a head rested on his shoulder. He could feel the solid heat of Asami against his back. "Ah, you're always so cold my darling." He lazily nuzzled into the soft white skin.

"Get away from my neck." Aki had gone deathly still, his knuckles white as they clenched the counter.

Asami shook his head sadly, turning Aki around to face him. "Ah, my pet, still so afraid. Don't be worried, I won't kill you." His eyes turned predatory. "After all, you're such a delicious meal, I'll be sure to treasure you for the rest of my life."

"You're a creep and a rapist." Aki spat, turning off the stove lest the oil begin to splatter. Oil burns were not something he wanted in this situation.

"Now, now," Asami purred. "I've never touched you, and when I do, you'll be begging for it." Those amber eyes, so dangerous, flashed with promises and lust. It was true, while the man was fine with eye-fucking Aki, only innocent cuddling had gone on in that bed. Well, he called it cuddling, but it was mostly Asami holding onto Aki as tightly as possible and then commanding him to sleep.

"You wish." Aki stated flatly, turning back to his cooking, ignoring the other man altogether. "Go take a shower; you reek of blood." Perhaps today had been his feeding day. Disgusting.

As Asami sauntered off obediently, Aki couldn't shake the feeling of deep unsettlement inside. Sure, he knew that biding his time was the only wise move, that brashly trying to run would only tighten his ropes, both metaphorical and perhaps physical. It was just disturbing how quickly he could adapt to this new home, how much he had already gotten used to the big bed, the marbled counters and steel appliances, and most of all the man that had enslaved his entire race. Although, if you listened to the maybe-bullshit he spewed, the Japanese might have gotten off better than many.

Shaking his head, Aki pushed the issue to the back of his head. First and foremost, he had to escape this city before it changed him any more.

* * *

It was pure luck. They had been ensconced together in the bed, per usual. Through the thick layers of sleep, Aki felt a movement, as Asami left, talking rapidly on his phone. That in itself was rare; Asami was an important man and was seldom called at night. Blinking sleepy eyes, he lay on the bed, careful to keep his breathing steady.

"…got out?" He sounded irritated.

High pitched babbling on the other end.

"…fire those sons of bitches."

More babbling.

"Fine." He hung up. Turning back to the bed, he gently ruffled Aki's hair, 'waking' him.

"Asami?" He asked sleepily, making sure his eyes were half closed, like they would usually be.

"I have to go take care of some important business; I'll be back soon, alright?" There was an underlying tension to the words. For the first time, Aki heard a hint of nervousness in Asami's voice. This man, who oozed confidence, who ruled Japan, was nervous.

A hint of concern, more real than he would like, crept into his voice. "Will you be okay? When will you be home?"

A small smile crept onto the man's face. He bent down and kissed Aki's forehead. "I'll be fine, and back for dinner pet." The simple, domestic gesture brought strange warmth to his heart

With that, he picked up his jacket and left in a rush, probably behind schedule. The door thumped close. There was no click. Sitting up, Aki strained his ears, almost not believing it. He had heard right. In his haste, Asami had failed to shut the door all the way, and therefore the lock mechanism couldn't engage. The route for escape was wide open.

* * *

Sunlight glinted off shiny blonde has as amused blue eyes looked at NeoTokyo. Man, this whole city just screamed _Asami_. Everything was so organized, so geometric and perfectly in place. So annoying. Well, no matter, it's not like he was here to talk to the stuck-up freak. All he wanted was a catch a glimpse of said freak's new obsession…

His lips curled up into a sadistic smile, already thinking of all the things he could do. Anything for Feifei's happiness.

**AN: A review would make my day (or night, depending)! Also, random fact of the day, I wrote this entire thing while listening to Pomp and Circumstance by Shoose on repeat...**


	5. Chapter 5

For the longest time he just laid in the bed, hardly daring to believe his good fortune. The seemingly infallible Asami, the man who had woven a net so intricate Aki knew it would take eons to fully unravel, had made a mistake. But this was a single thread that had snapped, and he knew that in order to escape unscathed, he would have to be very, very careful.

So he sat up and stretched, as if waking up for the first time. While he was almost positive that Asami didn't monitor him 24/7, it was better to be safe than sorry. Walking calmly towards the closet, his brain spun faster. Quick, how? How to escape without rousing suspicion, to maximize the window of time he had to run and hide?

The answer was simple. There was no easy way out. Asami had made sure of that, firmly latching the gilded cage he had made for Aki. As he dressed, he sighed, realizing that the only way out was the door and that Asami was sure to know of the matter very soon.

Dressed simply in a pair of sturdy jeans-shocking that Asami hadn't changed the dress code much, he would've pegged the man as an all white uniforms sort of guy-and a short sleeved shirt, he would blend in perfectly with the crowds of NeoTokyo. Turning towards the door, he breathed in deeply, and walked forward.

And then the window shattered.

All the registered was a resounding boom as the room shook, sparkling shards of bulletproof glass scattering over smooth hardwood floors, refracting the early morning sun and forming a million rainbows.

_Run_. His brain urged as the crouched figure straightened amidst the mess. Already he could see the claw like hands, the fine pointed nails and the glint of fangs. _Another one? Wait, don't tell me this one is even stronger…he did manage to break into this building…fuck!_

Yanking open the door, he ran, caution forgotten. Down a hallway he ran, frantically searching for someone, anyone. Spotting an emergency stairwell, he didn't even hesitate, running down it. Behind him, he heard the tapping if rapid footsteps as the second vampire rapidly approached. "Such a pretty thing," A smooth voice spoke, not even sounding out of breath, "I can see why Asami would like you. You smell lovely too, like spun sugar. Unfortunately," A note of danger entered his voice, "You, little boy, have angered the wrong people."

He raced down the stairwell, faster, faster, when his foot slipped and he plummeted headfirst down the stairwell. Strong hands caught him, and he flinched when he felt one remove itself from his arm and wrap around his throat. "This isn't personal you know," The man was handsome. His blond hair gleamed and his blue eyes shone with crystallized cruelty. "It's just an unfortunate occurrence."

That smooth, cold hand wrapped around his throat squeezed tighter, tighter. "Wait." His voice squeaked out, hoarse and pleading.

Surprisingly, the man listened. His hand loosening a tiny bit, he stared at the beautiful boy. "Are you proposing a deal, human? Trust me; there is nothing you can offer that I lack." He sounded patently bored. Beneath his perfectly composed façade, Aki could feel the madness and bloodlust swirl, urging his feral part to feed, to kill, to break this fragile tool like a child would shatter a doll.

Time, he needed to buy time. Praying that Asami was indeed checking the video feeds, he squared his shoulders. "My blood."

An eyebrow quirked. "Go on?"

"You're going to kill me anyways, right? Why not get a meal out of it too? Blood stops flowing soon after death and you would have to do far less work to drink if I was alive."

"While that's awfully tempting, what's in it for you? I'm not naive enough to believe that a human will do anything just because." _Shit, he's more clever than he looks._

"Erm..." _Think Aki, thinkthinkthink!_

Mikhail smiled, beginning to squeeze again. "Nice try darling."

Scrabbling against the arm, corded with muscle, he gasped for air as the world darkened around him. The man lifted him up, blue eyes crazed as he muttered under his breath about "FeiFei".

He closed his eyes, giving up. His body grew heavy as his lips parted in a struggling breath. _Ah, what an awfully lame way to go out…_

* * *

For the second time in three weeks, everything hurt. And _this_ time, it was accompanied by an incessant beeping. Opening his eyes, he was greeted with open sunlight. _Hm?_ Looking around, he saw that he was in a spacious room, sitting in a small bed with a heart monitor next to him. An IV needle protruded from his arm.

Ah, that's right, his brain informed him. The new hospitals in NeoTokyo were famed for their unique architecture which alleviated the common feelings of claustrophobia and depression that old hospitals triggered in patients.

"Ah, so our new patient is awake." Flinching, he turned towards the door.

Standing in the open doorway was an elderly gentleman dressed in a white coat, holding a clipboard. Laugh lines decorated his face, and only the point of two fangs showed that he was anything less than human. "How are you feeling?"

"Like shit." He said bluntly, hands clutching the sheets. How was he still alive? All he could recall was the man squeezing his throat until he had blacked out.

"Well, that's to be expected." The doctor remarked cheerfully. "You have mp bruising around your neck, and there appears to be no other injuries besides a bump on your head when you were dropped. Your back might also be sore."

Moving gingerly, Aki realized that the man was right. His throat ached mildly, his fingers searched out the sensitive swelling on his head, and though his back was resting against fluffy pillows, he could tell that it was going to hurt when he moved."

"Asami?" It had to be, no one else would bring him to such a nice hospital, or even bother to help him. Despite himself, he felt a surge of relief. Safe, he was finally safe, even if it meant he had walked back into his cage.

"Asami-sama is currently out, he has important matters to attend to. In fact he left a note for you." The doctor produced a slip of paper. "We'll keep you in the hospital until he comes to retrieve, feel free to rest some more, lunch will be in soon."

Was there nothing Asami wasn't good at? The handwriting could be calligraphy, and despite the absence of lines, the words were perfectly spaced and lined up.

_Akihito,_

_Be a good boy, and stay in the hospital. We'll talk soon._

_AR_

_PS I hope you like your gift. It was quite the expensive purchase._

The note fluttered to his lap as he raised his hands in dread, feeling around his throat. A narrow band of gold studded with gems ran around his slender neck, a perfectly fitted choker. A collar for his favored pet.

_Fucking bastard._

* * *

Long black hair cascaded down the front of his cheongsam, and cold green eyes stared down Mikhail. "So I am correct in assuming that the pest is still alive? That you have failed to kill a puny human?"

With shambling steps, the blonde stepped forward, sapphire eyes glinting in pain as Feilong's hands clapped over his mouth as he took an involuntary step back. Slowly, the light shone on Mikhail's face, pure white skin marred by five jagged scratches that shone an angry red. His left eye was swollen shut, and his left ankle was also twisted and useless. His chest heaved in pain as he spoke haltingly, "It appears that this human means much more to Asami than we thought, he was quite angry. Sorry Feifei, looks like I've failed." A broken chuckle wrenched its way out of his hoarse throat, his brain conjuring up an image of the furious vampire, his eyes gleaming ruby as those sharp claws lashed forward, his other uninjured hand reaching out to catch the fallen boy so gently. Never before had he seen Asami in such a state, so livid and distressed.

Feilong tsked in disgust, his eyes slipping off of the man's face, unable to bear the shambles of his face. "Go and heal up, I'll supply the blood, you look hideous."

Mikhail felt his face twitch in pain, he had not seen his face since the awful fight, but he must look a mess. And for Feifei to see him in such a state…he backed off into the shadows, taking care to cover his face, his one eye stealing one last look at the other vampire's flawless profile.

Turning away from the now-useless Mikhail, Feilong felt his hands tighten into fists. The unconquerable Asami Ryuichi, brought to obsession by a mere human? Ha, there was no way, and even if the report was true, he would retake what had been his. After all, perfection must be accompanied by perfection.

* * *

"Are you okay, Kou?" Takato's voice shook with worry.

Blankly Kou nodded, still staring at the freshly dug pile of dirt that concealed Ai's body. "I'll be okay…"

A hand clapped down onto his shoulder. "I know," Takato whispered, "You loved her. But you can't let this depress you so much, it's not what she would've wanted."

_Yes, he's right. It's not what she would've wished for; Ai was never one for dramatics. _A chill swept through his body as he felt the approaching tears recede. "I'm going to raid a hospital."

"What?"

"A hospital," He repeated. "I'm going to raid it, and make sure that what happened to Ai never happens ever again."

There was a pregnant pause as Takato carefully examined his eyes, taking in the newfound calm. "Alright," He finally agreed, "We'll talk with everyone about it."

_I'm going to make this right, Ai._

**AN: A review would make my day :)**


	6. Chapter 6

"What do you mean, complications?" _Hm? Asami sounds mad. _Aki blearily blinked his eyes open for the second time that day, this time greeted by the angry red light of the sunset.

"I thought you said that there nothing to worry about." Asami, presumably standing outside the door, growled out.

"We later gave him a quick scan," The doctor's voice was forcibly calm, fighting to hold onto a cool, professional demeanor. "And it appears that he is at risk for a concussion. Couple with his recently traumatic experience, it would be best to keep him monitored for one more night."

A long pause. "Very well," Asami grudgingly acquiesced, "I will pick him up tomorrow morning."

"Thank you, Asami-sama." The doctor sounded relieved, and then bade him goodbye, off to see another patient.

The door slid open and Asami stepped in, gazing squarely at Akihito. "It's rude to eavesdrop." He said in amusement, sitting on the chair beside Akihito's bed.

"It's also rude to enslave people," Aki snapped, pointing at the choker that had put on him by two nurses. There was a locked clasp that prevented its removal, unless the proper key was inserted. "Yet I don't see _you_ obeying the societal laws."

Asami's eyes landed on the elegant choker, a simple gold band with a centerpiece of blue gems, matching Akihito's eyes. The itch of murderous irritation that had been building up all day, from Mikhail's interference, the botched operation, and the delayed hospital release, vanished. A deep satisfaction spread through his body instead. _Mine, all mine._

"It's only a sign of slavery if you wish for it to be." He stated simply.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Aki spat. Anger burning in his eyes, he struggled to sit up. Just like an angry kitten that thought itself a grand lion, baring its tiny fangs.

Suppressing an amused smile, Asami helped him up, even solicitously arranging the pillows to best cushion his back. He delighted in the flush of red that adorned his perfect cheeks as he was placed in bed like a doll. "Take it as a sign of partnership." Asami raised his left hand, showing off an etched gold band with a rectangular blue gem set in it. A perfect match for the ones that twisted across Aki's necklace.

"There is no partnership without trust, Mr. I-monitor-boys-24/7-with-piles-of-cameras." Aki raised his chin defiantly.

Asami leaned forward, looking straight into the other's eyes, gold clashing with blue. "And when have you, Akihito, given me a reason to trust you? For the first two weeks, you tried nonstop to run, even going as far as getting a knife. Yesterday, when I accidentally left that door open, you made a break for it." For a split second, hurt gleamed in those stone cold eyes. "There is no partnership without trust. But I can't give you trust until you earn it."

Staring back, Aki saw the man he had lived with for a month. A man who, despite all the awful things he had done, had never hurt Aki. And a man whose trust he somehow wanted, badly.

"Then how?" His voice cracked a bit. "How?"

Asami smiled at him sadly, leaning forward and capturing his lips, his tongue languidly twisting around Aki's. Involuntarily, Aki's arms came up, wrapping around the man's neck as he scooted forward, closer to the inviting warmth. No more worrying, or pondering the rightness of accepting his race's enslaver. No more thinking about that sadistic beast of a vampire whose eyes had gleamed with a zealous light. Just Asami. His warm body offering comfort, his tongue, laced with the taste of Dunhills bringing him closer to heaven.

All too soon, Asami broke away. A pitiful whine echoed up from Aki's chest as he pressed closer, closer, already out of his hospital bed and in the lap of the vampire. Asami almost groaned as his crotch rubbed on the growing erection there. "Not here." The man's eyes flicked towards the obviously lockless door.

Ugh it was true. Aki stared at the door. Then the man that oozed sex appeal. The door. And then down at his lap and his rapidly forming…issue. He blushed furiously, uncomfortable, his earlier boldness forgotten.

Hands carefully lifted him up, and put him back onto the bed, dragging the blankets to generously cover his crotch. "Just one second," Asami promised, his voice dark and heavy with desire. "And it'll be all better."

Aki blinked in confusion. Asami just smirked, leaning forward until his head disappeared beneath the covers.

The boy yelped in shock as he felt hands unceremoniously pull down his pants and a warm mouth engulf his length, the sinful tongue that had been in his mouth seconds ago now wrapped around his cock.

"E-eh?" He stuttered, attempting to squirm away. "What the hell are you doing?"

Asami's hands migrated to his thighs, holding him in place. "Relieving you, of course." He stated matter-of-factly.

"The door!" Aki whisper yelled, also feeling mildly guilty; that boner in the man's pants looked mighty uncomfortable too.

"Don't worry, all the important parts are covers. And besides, I'll definitely make you return the favor some other day." Asami ducked under, obviously eager to enjoy his treat. Hm, how would the boy taste?

"Bak-a-aaaaaaaaah…" His voice trailed off as his back arched into the red-hot heat. Asami's lips curved into a smile as his tongue teased the tiny slit at the tip, barely dipping in. Aki gave a shriek that he muffled by biting on his lip. Satisfied, the man swallowed, drinking down every drop, fingers still tracing patterns on the milky skin of Akihito's inner thigh. His head lifted as he licked the tiny gash Aki had made when he bit his lip. "Delicious." He whispered.

Feeling more embarrassed than anything (but admittedly very relieved), Aki huffed as he readjusted himself. Asami followed suit, tucking away his erection. The boy winced again in pity, and Asami just smiled. "Don't worry; I'll make you take care of it when you're feeling better."

_Really? Ugh, that thing looks huge, I'll choke…_Shaking his head, Aki blushed and turned towards the sunset that still lit the room. Together, they watched the sun set. Slowly it descended, disappearing behind the skyscrapers. As the last beam of sunlight vanished and streetlamps began to flicker on one by one, Asami broke the silence. "I can't trust you, not right now. But I want to try. Tomorrow morning, I will pick you up, and we will go home. And then, let's move on from a relationship of master and slave to one as equals." A hand weaved through his golden locks.

"You enslaved my race." Aki stated, turning to face the man again. It was no longer a bitter statement, but still was the truth, one he could not ever forget as a human being.

"And for centuries, mine has lived in silence oppression," Asami said simply. "We are different species, and will always have out disagreements; let's work hard on getting past them."

"Asami-sama?" A nurse cautiously poked head in. "The doctor has requested that the patient get some rest, and visitation hours ended a couple minutes ago."

Nodding, the man rose, brushing some speck of imagined dust off his pants. "I'll expect your answer tomorrow morning, Akihito." And he left, with a final ruffle of the downy locks.

* * *

"I'm pretty sure I've said this before," Takato breathed out, "But their buildings are _amazing_."

"This is the biggest hospital they have." Kou said. "And we're going to invade it. It's time to make a point: we will not be pushed around any longer."

Behind them, far different from the party of four that had invaded the last hospital, over thirty men were assembled. The time for stealth was over. The plan was simple, enter the hospital, take as much medicine as possible, and kill and vampiric patients.

"Everyone ready?" Takato asked the group, who nodded in hushed silence. "Good, let's move out."

In a rush, they entered the hospital, splitting into 6 smaller groups, two for each floor, one to obtain supplies, the other to search through the patient rooms. Kou, Takato, and a third man, Nozaki got the top floor, with the highest-profile patients.

_Ai…I'm going to kill some filthy bloodsuckers for you._ Kou, splitting up from Takato and Nozaki, threw open the first door, noticing that it had no lock. How arrogant the vampires were that they didn't even feel the need to have protection.

Striding into the room, he ran to the bed, throwing off the covers. A figure stirred, and he held his breath, looking for red irises, fanged mouth. But all that was revealed was blue eyes and normal mouth. Kou drew back in shock. "Akihito?!" He whispered.

The boy looked just as shocked, drawing back. "Kou? Why are you here? Wait, holy hell this is a vampire hospital!" He hissed, glancing frantically around. Surely any moment vampiric guards would come running in.

Kou just stared at the boy. Aki looked…healthy. Even in the dim light his cheeks looked full, not half-hollowed from hunger. A few healing bruises littered his skin and he moved gingerly like he was sore, but overall, he seemed fine, better than he had been two months ago. And as he turned his head to gaze out the open doorway, checking for any intruders, an expensive looking choker glimmered at his neck. "Aki, why are you here?"

Surprisingly, the boy blushed, looking down. "It's a long story, and one we don't have time for. Kou, you've got to get all your people out—you _did _bring other people I'm assuming—and _run_. After the accident, Asami is sure to tighten security around me."

"What?! What are you talking about? And no, come on, you leave with us!"

"Kou!" Aki near-shrieked, "I am ninety nine percent sure that I have a tracker on me, and you've _got to leave_!"

A scream echoed down the hallway, the wails of a dying vampire. Aki froze, turning his head. "Kou? Please tell me you did not come here to kill vampires."

"Ai-chan is dead." The statement hung heavy in the air. "We had to avenge her. We had to show those dirty vampires that we can't and won't be pushed around anymore."

Aki opened his mouth, searching for the words. _Ai, dead? No, no…is it because we never got the medicine? Oh god…_

Suddenly all the lights came on. In an instant of blinding clarity, the hospital lit up, guards' thick combat boots thumping on the floor. Three barged into the room, surrounding Kou and putting a gun to his head. "No! Stop!" Akihito stumbled out of bed, trying to shield Kou, but one of the guards, but one of the guards roughly shoved him back.

"Silence, stinking pet. You can go yelp to your master; we're just doing our job."

Kou just looked at Aki. Kept his eyes locked on that figure, his best friend that had seemed so different. But the pain in his eyes was real, and that cut in deeply as the thick wooden door slid shut again, blocking his view once again.

**AN: Reviews are wonderful things :)**


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: Sorry if the chapter feels a bit draggy, I wrote it in chunks :)**

Kirishima had seen a lot of moods from Asami. The man had been prone to brood or lash out as a teen, and still showed flashes of anger as a grown adult. But never had his anger reached this point. Waves of fury rolled off the man as he calmly descended the stairwell into the prisons that held all the humans. Thirty of them, total. Despite himself, he was curious. Even the humans, so stupid and impulsive, must have realized that they couldn't win this battle. Facts were facts, however, and the truth of the matter was that they now had thirty rebels to deal with. How Asami decided to go about this would set a precedent for future punishments, and all vampiric eyes were eager to see how the matter was dealt with.

"The doctor has contacted me and assured me that Takaba-san is safe." He ventured a comment.

The man didn't turn, just nodded in acknowledgment. Together, they walked towards the vampire who guarded the prisons. "Asami-sama wishes to talk to the prisoners in Cell 10."

The guard, nodded, red eyes gazing worshipfully at the king. "Right away, sir."

He reached under the table and pulled out a key card, walking over to one of the nondescript doors. With a beep, the door unlocked and he opened it, beckoning Asami in. "They're a little out of it sir, but feel free to interrogate them."

Belligerent eyes glared at him. "Why are you here, vampire?" Kou spat.

Takato laid a calming hand on his shoulder, looking at the two men steadily. "What do you want?"

"I want to know why you humans don't want to live in harmony with us, and instead choose to wage pointless war." Kirishima silently agreed with the sentiments. Why fight when a perfectly peaceful option was presented?

"Harmony?! We're your blood slaves!" Kou snapped.

"It's a harmless blood donation." Asami said smoothly. "Would you rather we drain you all dry? Trust me, we are insatiable, and have been admirably controlling ourselves to take the bare minimum of blood. All in all, I think this system is much better."

"You killed hundreds of people in a blatant act of terrorism; you can't expect forgiveness for that." The other human chimed in.

"Believe it or not, I have given your nation's politicians many chances to surrender. In fact, I even gave your nation as a whole another chance before the final bombings. I'll admit that I've caused quite a bit of death, but I fail to see how this is any different from the petty wars you launch against each other. And I have treated your people far kinder than humans treat to other humans they have vanquished." Asami sounded puzzled.

The humans sat in stunned silence. It was simply impossible that this man was in the right, but somehow…the logic was flawless. "Everything you've said is true," Takato allowed, "But the fact of the matter is that we rebels can't forgive you for all the killings, and feel the need to fight you."

"Never mind that," Kou snarled, "What have you done to Aki?"

Takato looked at Kou in shock. "Aki? Did you see him?"

"He was in the hospital." Kou said bluntly. "What have you done to him?"

"That is none of your business." His voice went as cold and hard as steel. "Suffice it to say that I have cared for him carefully, and that he is safe."

The man stood up, preparing to leave. "I'll give you two options: either join the population of NeoTokyo or die. I can't afford to show mercy to rebels."

And with a resounding boom, the cell door shut once again.

* * *

Aki sat up as soon as the hospital door opened. "Asami?"

"We're going home." His tone of voice brooked no argument.

"But, Kou and Takato, what about—"

"Akihito," His entire body trembled with contained anger. "Do not try me."

Aki looked at him, saw his tensed up shoulder under the fancy suit, the dark circles that had begun to intrude. When had this man last eaten? It would've been three days ago, before the break in…

Reaching up, he linked his arms around the man's neck and leaned his head, offering his neck. "You look like you're about to snap and kill everyone in this hospital, drink."

"Not now." The man said, voice tight.

"Yes now." Aki barked. "We're _partners _now and I expect you to do as I say. This is voluntary." _Stupidly stubborn guy. _

Asami breathed in deeply, inhaling the sweet scent that drifted off Akihito's skin. Faster than the boy could comprehend, he took out a tiny key and unlocked the choker, letting it fall onto the bed. His eyes reddened as his fangs grew longer, plunging into the vein with ease.

Aki let his head loll as a pleasantly numb sensation spread throughout his body. Asami had mentioned this before, that his saliva could act as part narcotic, part aphrodisiac. The man drank hungrily, pulling sweet streams of blood out. All too soon, he broke away. "That should tide me over for a bit, wouldn't want you passing out from blood loss." Aki nodded in halfhearted agreement, already slightly woozy.

His lips traced the two puncture wounds, tenderly kissing them before his lips entwined Aki's in a slow, sloppy kiss. The boy moaned as he tasted the tang of iron, somehow erotic as Asami's tongue stroked his. "Mhm, you taste as delicious as always." The man remarked, licking his lips to clean off the last few drops of blood. He picked up the choker and fastened it on again, careful to not have the metal rest on the rapidly healing puncture wounds. _Vampire saliva should be a medical commodity, I swear, it does so much stuff…_

"Kou, Takato." He mumbled again.

The man stiffened, once again shooting him a reprimanding look.

"I have a right to know, they're my friends." Aki glared right back.

"Your _friends _are rebels who broke into a hospital housing injured vampire and killed eight of them." Asami spat. "I realize it may not mean much to your human psyche, but those were _my _kinsmen, and the people I swore to protect when I made this city."

Eight people dead. No, eight _vampires_. But, really, what was the difference? Aki stared at Asami, seeing the look of frenzied hopelessness in his eyes. A king who had failed to protect his subjects. Vampires, humans, there was no difference, they all just wanted to protect their own kind. "I'm not saying that it was right of them to do that, but from what I understand, Kou has just lost the woman he loved due to vampires." Akihito's voice remained surprisingly steady. It wouldn't do to snap now, if he did, everything would degenerate into a screaming match. Asami was that close to snapping. "But _please_, you have to understand, they're my friends, please, just don't kill them. They're just trying to survive in the best way they know how."

"By killing?" Asami barked out a harsh laugh. "What perfect logic."

"By their standards, there is no way for humans and vampires to survive in coexistence for a long period of time." Aki said calmly. "And you have to admit, you haven't exactly been treating humanity kindly these past few months."

"It's up to them." Asami said simply. "I offered them a choice, join this city or die. I suppose we'll both have to wait for their reply. Of course, this choice was offered to all the other human prisoners too."

Aki feel back as if struck. _Join or die? Such a stringent question? No…no! Kou, Takato…please don't be stubborn, please live!_

* * *

Zhang Shi Ping had lived an unfortunate life, his mother dying to bring him to life, and his father drinking away his grief along with their money. The man had only seen a killer every time he stared at his own child, a demon who had spirited away his other half. His childhood had been a blur of fear and eventual acceptance as he learned the art of keeping his head down and never, ever arguing. Survival was the principal goal, and he would have to do anything to continue his pitiful existence. No one else would care, no help would be given, it was just him. And that was how it would always be.

So, unlike many others in Hong Kong who had been terrified and angry when the vampires had come and taken over, he watched with his signature apathy. It was no different from a new tyrant come to rule his life, save for the fact that this one was a different species. Who cared, as long as he made it out alive? It was obvious who was going to be on the winning side, and he hadn't hesitated to join the vampiric side. The good of humanity? Ha, what was humanity to him but a species that had done nothing for him? Now, he stood rigidly, side by side with his fellow enlisted citizens in the hybridized army of both vampires and humans. They stood, hardly daring to breathe, just staring at the stage.

The ruler stood there, his sleek black hair shining in the lights. His narrowed emerald eyes were stunning and cold as he scanned across the crowd, obviously pleased with the largeness of his force. "I have brought you together today to announce something very important." His voice sounded like he looked, cold and smooth. "Starting next week, I will enter negotiations with Japan to form an alliance and possible melding of states. If, by any chance, the negotiations do not go through and aggression is required, I will call upon you to be my strength. Come, humans and vampires alike, let us defend our country and expand!"

The crowd roared out a bloodthirsty agreement, a rumbling wave of sound and excitement that even Shi Ping couldn't resist. Yes, he thought, looking at the man whose cold beauty shone out onto the people, the vampires had made life so much more interesting.

**AN: Reviews are my fuel ^_^**


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: Amateur lemon-writing ahead, proceed with caution…**

Asami prided himself in his exceptional self-control. While his brethren killed constantly, seeking to sate their bottomless appetites, he learned to abstain. Blood was food, and there was really no need to gorge oneself. No, he would not be slave to anyone or anything, not even his food source. To do so would be to give humans the advantage. So why? Why was it so hard to keep from lurching forward and sinking his teeth into that delicate neck?

The boy slept peacefully, a tiny crease between his eyebrows even in sleep. The news of his friends had upset him, but even his anger couldn't hold him up for long, he had collapsed the instant they had arrived back home. Now Asami sat on a chair by the bed, staring out the window to his city. The newly repaired window with a double layer of bulletproof glass and a retractable layer of metal in between, thank you very much. If that Russian trash tried to break in again, he'd shear him in half and let him dangle.

As the boy exhaled softly, a new wave of his sugary scent hit the vampire. Sugar had never appealed to him, it had always tasted disgusting. Just another human oddity he couldn't comprehend. Akihito's scent, however, was different. It was sweet without being cloying and made his mouth water to have just a sip. Every drop deserved to be savored like a fine vintage. The boy twisted and turned, exposing his neck, unconsciously tempting.

Asami inhaled sharply, feeling his self-control begin to crumble. How did the little human do it? _Maybe just an appetizer..._

Delicately, he parted his lips, placing a delicate kiss on the petal-soft skin of the boy's neck. Then, he sucked. Not breaking the skin, just making the blood pool underneath. He lapped the area delicately, delighting in the contrast between the red mark and the rest of the milky skin. _Mine. _

Yes, this beautiful, dainty little boy, with a spitfire temper and the most delicious blood he had ever tasted was his. All his. Hungry lips settled back on the neck, nibbling and sucking a trail all along it, impatient hands unlocking the necklace, setting carefully on the nightstand. Sleepy eyes opened as the boy's pink lips parted in a surprised moan. "Wha—"

"Good evening, Akihito." The vampire continued leaving generous love bites across the boy's neck. His nose dipped closer and closer, inhaling the scent of blood pooling beneath the skin.

Akihito sat up, still dazed. A tiny hand entwined in black locks as he leaned forward, kissing the vampire.

The vamp smiled, pleased at his lover's boldness. His long tongue entwined with the boy's clumsy inexperienced one, his saliva entering Akihito's system, a natural aphrodisiac. "Mine." He whispered, climbing onto the bed and pinning Aki beneath him.

"Ngh." Aki gave a moan of vague dissent. Still rebellious, huh?

"Mine." The man repeated, his hands already impatiently ripping away at Aki's clothing.

The boy glared slightly, sitting up a bit, his lips latching onto Asami's neck as the king stiffened in shock. He sucked valiantly, leaving a berry-red mark. "_Mine_." He smirked.

Golden eyes grew hooded in desire, as Asami picked him up and placed him onto his lap. Aki shifted uncomfortably around the pronounced tent that had formed. Asami pushed down his pants and boxers, his length standing proud.

"What, your patient is awake for five minutes and you're already eager to fuck his brains out?" Aki panted, eyeing the man's dick nervously. _Well now we all know where his massive ego stems from…_

"You've already deprived me once," The man said rocking his hips upward into the boy's heat, covered by a flimsy layer of cloth. "Isn't it fair that you make it up to me? Besides," His voice grew slightly colder, "You still smell subtly of Mikhail."

"What are you, a dog?" His brain was spinning, damn saliva, "I'm not a tree to mark."

"Of course, I will treat you with infinitely more respect." The man promised. "I simply wish to mark you deep inside. Now, won't you be a good boy and return a favor?"

There really was no question about. Sinking to his knees, Aki stared at the task for a minute. Hesitantly, he licked the drop of precum that gleamed. It tasted salty and bitter, pure Asami. The vampire stared him down, golden eyes waiting, challenging. _Are you brave enough, little boy?_

_Challenge accepted_ replied his eyes. Without hesitation, he took in as much of the length as he could, careful to not use his teeth. The bitter taste and the sensation of something pressing on the back of his throat made him gag, but he persisted, wrapping his hand around the part he couldn't fit in his mouth, stroking it. Tears welled in his eyes.

A hand rested in his hair, as the man let out a groan of satisfaction. Slowly, slowly he began bobbing head, sucking as hard as he could, hollowing his cheeks. His tongue traced the veins that ran along its length. Breathing became hard, but he wouldn't stop. No, he was going to make his man unravel. One of his hands wandered down, aching to stroke his own aching dick. "Don't touch yourself." The man grunted, grabbing his hand. Reluctantly, he withdrew his hand, trying to ignore his pressing arousal, focusing on the task at hand.

Without warning, the tip jerked in the back of his mouth, causing him to choke in shock as streams of thick white cum slid down his throat and pooled in his mouth. "Swallow." Asami looked down at him, his voice gravelly and strained. It was an order.

With much difficulty, he swallowed the thick liquid, the musky smell of it surrounding him. As the last drop finally slid down, he felt a tear trickle down. A large hand wiped it away, caressing his face. "Very good." The man looked pleased, picking him back up, kissing him again.

Aki just closed his eyes, leaning into the comforting strokes. The snap of a bottle lid roused him again. Somehow, Asami had found a bottle of lube, and was pouring it into his hand, warming the stuff. A finger probed his hole, testing the tight ring of muscle. "It's okay, I'll go slowly."

With the help of the lube, one finger slid in halfway. Aki jerked, his anus clenching tighter, attempting to reject the invader. "Relax, darling." Asami began licking and sucking his neck again, trying to distract him.

Slowly, slowly, the muscle yielded to the finger, allowing it to enter fully. Aki shuddered from the foreign sensations as the finger twisted around, pressing against his walls. Slicking up a second finger, the man managed to somehow get a second one in. "Can't do it, not gonna fit." Aki panted wildly, hands scrabbling against the man's back as he pressed himself closer.

"It'll fit, you're doing so well," The man kissed away his tears, shushing him, his fingers slowly scissoring inside, spreading the hole wider, wider. His fingers twisted around, searching carefully, finally brushing against the tiny nub.

Akihito nearly screamed, his hips thrusting against Asami's fingers, when they withdrew. He moaned in disappointment, rocking against Asami's hardness. "Just a second." The man chastised him, slicking his hole up further, just to be safe. The boy was tiny; it wouldn't do to rip him.

Aki whined, begging for it. "Okay, darling, all you have to do is sit."

_Sit?_ Aki stared in confusion, staring into the man's expectant eyes. It slowly dawned on him. Asami was not going to initiate this. If he wanted it, he was going to have to get it himself. _Sadistic pervert_.

With great effort, he scooted forward, supported on his trembling knees. The man supported him, helping his line up properly. Aki sank down, feeling the tip pressing against his entranceway. He whimpered in pain, the bulbous head stretching the ring of muscle until it felt like it was going to snap. "Just a little more, almost there." The vampire's breathing had also grown labored, barely holding back from snapping his hips up and burying himself in that inviting, pulsating warmth. But no, he wanted to see the boy fuck himself on his rod, go mindless trying to milk his pleasure out of it.

With a final push, Aki sat down fully, encasing the entire length in one swoop. A moan wrenched its way out of his throat as he felt his walls pulsate against the thick, heavy heat of the shaft. "Ride me." The vampire hissed.

Involuntarily, his hips rose obediently, Asami's dick slipping out of him inch by inch, then slammed back down, taking it all back in. He set a faltering pace, his weak legs trembling and useless. "Ah, you'll have to go faster if you want to feel good." The vampire said, meeting him with an upward thrust.

The boy's head fell back, his legs turning to jelly as he sank down, without enough energy to keep on going. "No helping it," Asami sighed, grasping both sides of his waist. "I suppose I'll do the rest."

Abruptly, the arms that had been supporting his back, constricted, holding him closer as Asami thrusted in and out. When the head brushed against his prostate gland, he threw back his head, moaning wantonly. "Harder...ungh…"

The man fucked into him like he was a doll, easily lifting him and repositioning him, hitting his prostate with every thrust. "What a dirty little boy, weren't you just complaining that you didn't want to?" Asami taunted, scraping his teeth on the boy's shoulder, tasting the salty sweat.

"Shut up…_harder!_" Aki snapped, a heat pooling in his belly, the dirty words bringing a flush to his face.

Asami inhaled, looking at the utterly debauched expression on his little lover's face. Before he knew it, his fangs had plunged deep into that arched neck, drinking deeply. The thick sweetness hit his tongue as he felt Akihito's velvety walls contract even more. "_Mine. _You're all mine, forever." He growled, lapping at the blood and thrusting even harder, feeling his climax approach.

"Oh god yes, yours, all yours." Aki moaned, the pain pushing him even closer to the edge.

Those words did it. Asami sank his fangs back in, feeling his penis pulsate, shooting ropes of cum deep inside the boy, covering him in his scent. Aki came with a scream, his hands tightly gripping onto Asami's shoulders covering the front of his shirt with sticky semen.

The man pulled away, watching blood trickle down the boy's chest as the puncture wounds closed. The temptation was too much. His long, muscular tongue laved across the boy's skin, collecting every last drop.

The boy groaned. "I think I need a shower." With great difficulty, he pulled himself off of Asami's shaft, limping off to the polished bathroom. A hot soak would probably help the aching.

"Well, it's no good wasting water unnecessarily, I'll join you." The man stood up, shedding his soiled clothes.

"You _own_ this city; I think they'll be fine with you using a couple more gallons of water." Aki gave a baleful glare, obviously less than pleased with the cum that was already beginning to leak out of his abused hole.

"Nevertheless, I wish to be kind to this planet." Asami said smoothly.

"You know what? Fine." Aki threw up his hands in exasperation. "But if you _dare _try any funny business I _will _hurt you."

"I don't doubt it." Asami smiled, trailing after the boy who was completely and utterly his.

And who, even if he didn't want to admit it, owned him completely too.

**AN: yeah…writing sex scenes is NOT my strong suit, but please leave a comment saying if you liked it or not!**


	9. Chapter 9

**AN: I'm baaaaaaaaaaaack! Hope you all enjoy!**

Nothing could eclipse the utter humiliation that swelled in Kou as he stood, surrounded by vampires as they dressed him. Yes, _dressed_. Apparently, it was paramount that the humans not be able to conceal anything or have any dignity. With a snap, a thick ID bracelet was clasped around his left wrist. It was nondescript, a band of smooth metal with a black panel of glass on top for scanning. "It comes off, you die." The vampire grunted. "And trust me; we'll know the instant you wrench it off."

_Just like cattle_. The bitter thought echoed in his head. Beside him, Takato also bore the treatment patiently. He had always been better at adapting to strange situations.

Abruptly, the door slammed open with a bang. Golden hair gleamed underneath the harsh white lights that the vampires seemed oh-so-fond of. "Guys!" Aki panted, breathless. His eyes took in his best friends, looking for signs of injury. He let out a sigh of relief when it became clear that besides some minor roughing-up, they were all in one piece.

"Didn't I tell you not to run off?" A disapproving voice cut in as a tall man strode in.

The vampires all around them blanched, immediately kneeling, eyes turned downwards, their giant egos nowhere in sight. "Asami-sama, it is an honor to see you." The head vampire intoned, his subordinates busy pulling the humans downs, urging them to also kneel.

The man nodded, somehow making it regal. Every line of his body was sharp, and he carried the aura of a king naturally. "Stand, there's much work to do, you will have to introduce the new citizens into their roles."

"How are you guys?" Aki anxiously questioned, all but ignoring the imposing man.

"We're fine." Takato's voice was filled with forced cheer.

"A little humiliated, but fine." Kou muttered sullenly, his right hand unconsciously massaging the new bracelet.

"Eh? What's that?" Aki cocked his head, looking around, seeing that every human of the party either had them or were getting them installed.

"Identification bracelets." Asami said calmly. "They're essentially your identity. Money is stored in your account, and you can use them to complete all manner of transactions. I consider them much more efficient and useful than solid money."

"The fuck? That's like tagging cattle. This is why humans still hate your guts." Ah, Aki never did pull his punches did he?

The onlookers waited with bated breath, watching the anger swell in golden eyes, before it vanished. "Then I guess we're all cattle." Long fingers waved a rectangle of metal, also with a square panel of glass on it. "Vampires also have them, they're just not accessories, that's all. As soon as I'm assured that these people will not pull off their bracelets and run away, they'll be issued newer, less bulky models."

Well, at least this thing wasn't permanent, Kou reflected. "Wait, where's mine then?" The boy demanded. Indeed, his wrists were noticeably bare.

"You don't need one, I'll be with you all the time, and it's not like you'll be in the city a lot." The man said calmly.

"I'm not staying in that condo forever, I'll suffocate." He crossed his arms, glaring.

"You're now a high risk target. Imagine, even in that highly protected room, with security everywhere, Mikhail managed to almost kill you. It's not safe to be around outside."

Kou and Takato only stared in confusion. Akihito, seeing their faces, sighed. "Can you at let me have a conversation with my friends alone."

"Fine." He gestured for the rest to leave. Slowly, vampires and humans filed out to another room in the large building.

"You're leaving too." Aki said in a no-nonsense voice.

"Hai, hai," Asami allowed himself a wry smile, gently kissing Akihito's forehead before leaving to follow the rest. Aki flushed red.

Finally, the door shut, leaving them alone.

"Aki…what's going on?" Takato asked hesitantly. He had known that his friend was gay, but he hadn't known that this apparently extended to male vampires too.

The boy sighed, massaging his temples lightly. "It's a long story, trust me."

"We have time." They strolled over to a nearby circle of chairs, sitting.

"Well, like you guys have probably guessed, after you two escaped from the hospital, I was captured. Turns out, Asami really likes my blood. So, he took me in as a…pet, I guess? It's not he did much, he just locked me in his apartment and kept me like a pet for a month or two. Well, one time there was a break in."

Two pairs of eyes blinked. "A break in?" Kou asked. "I heard that that guy lives on the fortieth floor of a skyscraper and has a huge security team."

"He does." Aki groaned. "And they're all zealots. I'm convinced that somewhere they've made an Asami shrine and burn incense for it and shit. But that's beside the point. Another vampire broke in and tried killing me, that's why I was in the hospital. He managed to bruise me quite a bit before Asami came back and beat him up. Asami told me that he was Russian."

Kou clicked his tongue. "I can't stand that man."

"Who, Asami?"

"Yeah."

"I can't blame you," Aki gave a tiny smile. "His personality is enough to rub anyone the wrong way. But…I don't think he's a terrible person."

"How can you say that Aki?! You used to hate him the most out of all of us!"

"Because the people here are _safe_." The boy said empathetically. "I haven't seen anyone killed, crime rates are basically zero, and they all have medicine." His voice cracked as he remembered Ai. "I don't think this is common knowledge, but all across the world, vampires have set up governments."

"That's reasonable," Takato nodded, "They did start popping up everywhere after all."

"Asami showed me photos from when his subordinates traveled across the world, seeing how each country was doing." His voice shook. "It was awful, guys. There was famine in some places. In other places, the vampires were just going around picking out whoever they wanted and drinking them to death. In the US, a wildfire started when rioters accidentally burned a part a forest, and then it spread. When they were there, an entire mountain was still burning."

"What if they're lying?" Kou demanded.

"This doesn't seem like something Asami would lie about. That man only lies to gain benefits, what could he possibly get from this? I'm not stupid enough to think that I could escape. I'm trapped here anyways. I'm not saying that this government or system is perfect. It _is_ authoritarian and unfair. Obviously, vampires are currently being considered as more than humans, and I want to change that. But at least we can still live comfortably and don't go hungry."

He was right. Kou knew it. But, still, how could he forgive the vampires? Despite all this now, the fact was that they had killed many humans in bombings, and probably maimed many more. "Ai _died_, Aki." He whispered, feeling tears prick his eyes. Takato rested a comforting hand on his shoulder and looked up at Aki. "I'm really glad you're okay." The words were heartfelt.

"I'm really glad you're okay too." Aki smiled sadly, looking at the figure of Kou. "I'll visit sometime else, okay?"

* * *

Shi Ping was stunned as he looked at NeoTokyo, the skyscrapers rising all above him.

Hong Kong was a cramped place, with no _space_ for a new city. So, when Feilong had come into power, he simply did what most of the other vampires did: inhabit the city and begin ruling it from there.

But Asami was different. He built a grand new capital, perfectly planned out and symmetrical. Whereas other vampires could barely keep track of their humans, thus leading to the massive amounts of people migrating away in search for vampire free lands, Asami kept an iron grip on the population, noted by the thick bracelets each human wore and even the IDs vampires carried. The man was either brilliant or just very, very obsessive. Possibly both.

It had supposedly taken all of Feilong's abilities just to forge a citizenship for him, complete with a stolen bracelet and uniform. The beautiful vampire had stared down at him, the bracelet and uniform lying neatly in front of him. "You, human. You're good at blending in and being stealthy, am I right? Your life of thievery more than proves _that._"

"Yes, sir." Shi Ping had nodded.

The man had smiled in satisfaction, and had laid out a single task. To kill the mysterious boy known as Takaba Akihito. The single blurry shot he had been given of the boy was grainy, obviously taken from quite a distance, and was only able to show a slender figure and a shock of bright golden hair.

However, he was also told where the boy would live, in the same apartment as Asami himself. The orders of the black haired man were quite clear. Kill the boy, by any means possible. If you do, anything you ask for will be yours. If you don't, you will not keep your life.

He sighed, walking forward, taking care to blend in with the crowd. Thankfully, he had also been assigned a rather convenient job for this task. This _impossible _task, mind you.

But impossibilities had never stopped him before.


	10. Chapter 10

**AN: Back after delays! School sucks my soul *rolls around in bundled up blankets to regain pep***

"Neh, Asami," Aki rolled around the bed, bundled up in the sheets. "Can you give me one of those ID passes?"

"I certainly could," The man acknowledged, smoothing back his hair in the mirror, "But I see no reason for that."

"Well, I can't go out without one of those things, can I?" The boy demanded, pouting. Well, an uphill battle was expected. Knowing Asami, he would be most comfortable with Akihito locked up in a pretty cage, ankle cuffed. Aki shuddered at the mental image. Only silence greeted his question. With a heaving sigh, he buried his face into a pillow. "I'm going insane locked up in this tiny space; just let me explore a bit okay? Aren't crime rates out there at zero anyways?"

"_Near _zero, mind you, not _at _zero. And that's for the average citizen. You are different."

"How~" Aki groaned. "Look! Perfectly normal, Japanese male here! No one will know any better, as long as I wear a uniform and be all expressionless and apathetic. And knowing you, I'll be tailed with an absurd number of guards anyways."

"As soon as you leave this room, I can't guarantee your safety." Asami buttoned up his shirt with deliberate calmness.

He bit down on his lip in irritation, glaring fiercely at the surface of the pillow. "You couldn't guarantee it even when I was locked up." The words flew out of his mouth before he could think twice. Aki froze. _Too far…_

Looking up cautiously, he was greeted with frozen golden eyes. Asami's hands were curled into fists, the tendons standing out starkly as his manicured fingernails dug into his palms. Crawling out of the bed, Aki let his arms wrap around the vampire, burying his face into that broad shoulder. "I'm sorry."

Asami softened, reaching up to ruffle his hair. A great sigh rumbled through his chest, and he smiled in grudging acceptance. "I'll arrange for a pass, but you'll have to consent to getting some guards of my choice. And if there is any sort of disturbance that you could get injured in, you are to _return immediately_."

Well, it was hardly ideal, but it was the best he was going to get. Aki nodded silently, pecking Asami on the cheek. "Have a nice day at work!"

The man smirked, diving in for a deeper kiss, his tongue intertwining with the boy's. His large hand caressed Akihito's butt, a last reminder of the night. "I'm off." With that, he left the room, pulling on his suit jacket.

_For such a large guy he can be _such _a tease. _Aki thought, stumbling back to bed and burying himself into the mound of sheets that smelled of Dunhills and spices. _Well, until I get my freedom back, this ain't half bad either…_

* * *

The first time he saw the boy, he could see how a king would love him. He walked with a spring in his step, flanked by two looming vampiric guards, for some reason still decked out in suits and sunglasses. Well, thugs would dress like thugs, no matter the civilization it seemed. His slender legs weren't done proper justice by the white slacks, his elegant collarbone revealed just a smidge by the uniform shirt. In short, he looked angelic. Even with that ugly bracelet, Shi thought in muted shock. How unexpected, that Asami's favored one would still wear that sort of ID pass.

Surreptitiously, behind the granite countertop that separated the concierge from the rest of the lobby, Shi Ping snapped a clearer photo of the boy. Fei Long-sama was most curious about his appearance, this would surely please him. Sliding his mobile into his pocket, he smiled in satisfaction. The boy turned, tilting his head curiously as his eyes surveyed the large, open lobby. His pretty little mouth opened in awe as he whirled back to ask one of his guards an eager question. The guard had to lumber down just to hear the question clearly, that was how tiny the kid was.

_Guess the plan starts now. _Shi Ping waited for when the boy's eyes skimmed over his, then gave a kind, understanding smile. The smile of a father. Akihito looked shocked for a second, and then waved back cheerily, his returning smile brighter than the sun. _Ba-thump. _Oh yes, he could definitely see how this boy could steal the heart of one of the most powerful men on earth.

It would almost be a pity to see him all pale and dead.

* * *

Stepping out, Akihito relished the feeling of sun across his skin, the sensation of a faint breeze brushing along his cheeks. Even in a crowded metropolis, being outside felt freer than any openness the indoors could ever simulate. "Where to, Takaba-sama?" The lumbering vampire asked.

"Hm…I don't know!" He flashed a mischievous smile. "Maybe just wander around the city for a bit?"

He could almost feel the men sag, already overheated in their suits. Vampires seemed to particularly despise heat, go figure. Smiling sympathetically, he relented to something a little nicer. "Well, are there any grocery stores in this city? I wanted to buy some stuff so that I could cook properly."

The men perked up. "Yes, sir! While Asami-sama designed this city to be a more sanitary version of Tokyo, all the common places are here. We can take you to a mart if you would like."

"Sounds good!" _I wonder where all the food comes from…_

It turned out that the marts in the new city were extremely well stocked, somehow. Which was strange, considering all the chaos was supposedly going on outside the city. Picking out some daikons and examining the lanes for any good options, he asked one of the guards Jun, "Hey, where is this food coming from? Is it imported? I know for a fact that half of this stuff isn't grown around here."

"For now, most of the vegetables are being imported from country regions under our protection." The shorter of the guards said. He seemed to possess the brains between the two. "However, Asami-sama seems to be planning on making greenhouses and temperature-controlled areas to farm all sorts of vegetables and fruits all year round so that we won't have to be reliant on our other food sources. Areas dedicated for livestock raising are also underway, which would also open up more jobs and living areas for everybody."

Aki whistled in appreciation. "Ambitious."

They nodded, bursting with obvious pride for their master. It was strange, how all the subordinates under Asami seemed to adore him.

"Say, why is it that you guys like Asami so much?" Akihito asked as he picked out some leafy greens.

"Asami-sama is our savior." The stony-faced guard said. "He has given us a stable life, a miracle that all vampires of Japan admire. Only Asami-sama could have done such a thing, and thus we respect him for it."

Aki waited patiently for a more thorough explanation, though the guards seemed to be unwilling to confess any further. Turning back to his vegetables he sighed quietly in disappointment. Despite his slight twingings of guilt of invading the man's privacy, one had to wonder what circumstances had shaped a man like Asami.

It would have to be truly incredible, indeed.

**AN: Lol, for anyone who couldn't tell, I'm a total nerd who loves imagining how a perfect, self-sustained city/nation would look and be planned. Sorry if that part about the vegetables or livestock was boring! And as always, reviews drive me onward and help me not decide to deliberately fail my hard classes *cries***


	11. Chapter 11: Flashback

**AN: Yup, I'm not dead...shockingly. Sorry for the long delay and to everyone following this, I know it's been a long time and you've probably forgotten half the plot :'D**

Never be caught. That was the cardinal rule of life. If you were caught, you would be tortured. If you were caught, they would cut you open and peer into your corpse. If you were caught, you would die in the most horrible, gruesome ways you could think up. But most importantly, if you were caught, you put _everyone _in danger.

His mother would whisper those things to him, holding him tight as they huddled together in some cave. She would chant it like a mantra, a morbid lullaby to lull her precious child to sleep. Outside, he could hear the roar of angry voices and the hateful crackle of torches. The mob would surely catch one of his weaker brethren and burn them. And here they were, huddled like frightened rabbits.

Such was the way of the world. The weak are meat, and the strong eat. And the humans, armed with their fear and righteousness and sheer_numbers_ were the strong. Far stronger than the vampires, at any rate. One by one, they died. His father, caught hunting for blood in some gloomy town. His mother, tracked down and savagely stabbed to death as she fled from the pyre. The weak fell like grain under a scythe, helpless.

But there was one solution. Become silent, undetectable, and strong.

He would make the vampire race strong again, for he would create…Kings.

* * *

Golden eyes blinked open slowly, large and human. The boy, his body already that of a four year old's, sat up on the stiff bed. "Hello." He smiled, holding up a glass. Inside, viscous blood swirled, clinging to the sides and leaving behind a thin layer of red everywhere it touched.

In a flash, red bled over golden irises. _Perfect. _Wicked fangs, twice the size of an ordinary vampire's, enlarged as he eagerly drank, asking no questions. His eyes, however, darted about the room, lit by a quiet intelligence that seemed quite promising. The man nodded in satisfaction at the nice muscle tone displayed even in this very young body. This model would grow up strong, and his intelligence appeared unimpeded. No blatant flaws so far, and that was more than he could say for many of the other models. His lips pursed as he felt a flash of guilt as he remembered some of the failed models, some so dumb they could barely eat without choking, others born to misshapen bodies that they were forced to drag across the floor pitifully.

The price for progress was heavy.

Watching the child eagerly tilt back the glass, tongue reaching up to lap at the final drop, he made his decision. _I'll keep him._

The first King clutched the glass, peering at his creator curiously.

"Hello, Ryuichi."

* * *

"Master!" A voice called out in greeting. The golden eyed boy ran up, tugging along the quieter boy with jade-green eyes.

"Look at what I did!" Ryuichi puffed up proudly.

The master looked about, holding his umbrella. "Why, I see nothing out of the ordinary, Ryuichi."

The boy looked about, and then stamped his foot. "Jeez, humans are so slow. Faster!" His eyes glowed for a second, and the thumping of steps was heard.

With blank eyes, the human man plods up the hill. He moved as if in a trance, limbs uncoordinated and fingers twitching.

"Now we don't have to chase down prey." Ryuichi huffed proudly.

"Ryuichi..." Fei's voice was almost silent. "You'll tire yourself out."

"Don't worry Fei! As soon as we bleed him out it'll be fine." Fine drops of sweat, gleaming in the sunlight, stood out against his forehead.

"Stop! I'll do it, please?" Fei tugged insistently on Ryuichi's sleeve, looking at him in concern.

"Fine..." Ryuichi gave a sigh. It seemed that his little brother still had the ability to make him concede. Slowly, his shoulders relaxed as if he was letting go of a large weight.

The man started, head lifting. "Wha-where am I?"

"We were lost, so you walked us home, mister." Fei's emerald eyes shimmered with fake tears of gratitude. "You seem very sick though...would you like to come in and rest? Papa says that we should always thank people!" He smiled brilliantly, unleashing all of his cherubic charm. Even at such a young age, close to none could deny such beauty, and when he grew older men and women alike would fall to his feet.

Momentarily clear eyes glazed over again as the man nodded dumbly. "Yes…"

A tiny pale hand grabbed onto the man's tough, calloused palm, tugging him into the tiny house. Feilong smiled slyly, leading the prey to the trap as Ryuichi tailed behind, eyes already growing red with thirst.

* * *

"Neh," Ryuichi peered at the master curiously. "Why do you always carry an umbrella, master?"

"Because the sunlight hurts me Ryuichi." The master smiled at the boy. He had grown fast, as had Feilong. Even now, more siblings were being created for the two, brothers and sisters to match them. "It's an unfortunate weakness of our species. You and Fei, however, will not be hurt by the sunlight. And neither will your brothers."

"Brothers?!" Ryuichi gaped in shock. Sure, he had gotten used to Fei, who had appeared one day almost a year ago, but it had never occurred to him that Master may create even more siblings.

"Yes, brothers," The master chuckled in amusement, patting the boy's untamable ruff of black hair. "Soon, you will have many new siblings, all special like you and Fei. And all able to run beneath the sun." In his mind's eye, he could see the lab so far underground, beneath the innocent cottage, filled with rows and rows of incubators, contraptions he had painstakingly built to grow more Kings. It was hard work, and each time he failed, he would have to look upon a pitiful child he had failed, dragging itself across the floor with twisted limbs, or staring dumbly into air, not a glimpse of intelligent thought. Experimentation mean frequent failure and every failure brought his soul nothing but pain. Pain that only intensified when he was forced to pull out the syringe and inject the child with poison, putting them out of their misery.

He was getting better though. Soon, the children would be perfect, manipulated skillfully to have all the benefits and none of the downfalls.

"When will I see them?" Ryuichi asked curiously.

"Very soon, my boy. Very very soon." The master smiled, clutching onto his black umbrella. "Take good care of them; one day they will be your only allies in the world."

* * *

Humans change so very fast. While they stood, unmoving and unchanging, the humans grew and died in a hundred waves. They fought war after war, honing their skills until they became deadly. War no longer meant face to face battle; war meant strange airplanes with no one in them, soaring above battlegrounds. War meant bombs powerful enough to vaporize the blood in a human's brain. War was pain, and yet the humans could not stop, would not stop, not until fields ran crimson with blood. And just beneath the surface of it all were the vampires, who could not fight, not against the new weapons. The pitiful creatures who slunk in the night, barely able to feed. The species he would gain revenge for.

The master sighed, slouching against his chair. In old age, even his bloodlust had dulled. All he had left was a steady resolve that he would see humanity overthrown, that he would accomplish one last goal. Over time the tiny cottage had expanded exponentially, growing organically with a room added here, a bathroom there. Now it was a huge, sprawling house that looked like a jigsaw puzzle from above. "Father?" Ryuichi stood in the doorway, looking at him curiously. "What is wrong?"

"I'm growing old, Ryuichi. And old men are simply tired all the time." He smiled weakly and sat up a bit straighter as the boy (a man now if he was honest with himself) placed a tray of tea on the table.

"Don't joke around like that." Feilong swept in, clothed in the cheongsam he had grown fond of in recent years. "You must just be coming down with something. We _are _immortal after all; there's no growing old." Carefully, he shifted the curtains around, cutting off the thin sliver of sunlight penetrating into the darkness, lest the man stumble into it.

"Oh, silly boy, don't be so naïve." He gave a smile to Feilong. He had always been his most serious child. "Having the ability to live forever seldom means one does."

"Well _you_ will." Fei's voice brooked no argument as he fussed with the blankets covering the old vampire.

"Why are you here, though, Fei?" Ryuichi asked, raising an eyebrow. "I thought I heard Mikhail asking you to meet him for lunch."

Fei flushed and turned his head pointedly. "I don't like eating with Mikhail. He _ogles _me."

"_Everyone _ogles you, Fei. It's kind of your power." Ryuichi waved off the complaint and gestured at Feilong. As the boy had grown, he had lost none of his beauty. His raven hair, long and sleek, shone, and his verdant eyes could steal any person's breath. Fei had the sort of beauty that transcended sexuality and pulled anyone looking in.

"Even you?" Fei looked at him coyly.

"You're my precious younger brother." Ryuichi chose his words carefully. It was no secret Fei fancied him, but he wasn't interested.

Fei huffed, turning to leave. "Some power." He swept off, probably off to slink reluctantly to Mikhail.

"We've spoiled him a bit, haven't we?" The old man sighed, smiling indulgently.

"He was too cute a child to not spoil." Ryuichi chuckled. "I was an idiotic big brother anyways."

"Indeed, I hope he fares well alone." He sounded worried.

"Alone?" Ryuichi turned to him. "Are you sending Fei off somewhere?"

"In a fashion." The master shifted about in his chair. "It is time you, my children, were sent to your true purposes."

"True purpose?" Ryuichi cocked his head, alarm growing in his eyes.

"Name your siblings, Ryuichi."

"Well, there's Feilong, Mikhail, Vincent, Aleksy, Donato, James…" Ryuichi rattled them off. He knew them, as many as there were. Some were still children, some almost full grown, others already men like him and Fei.

"Yes, a name for each country." The man smiled gently. "You and your siblings were born to conquer, Ryuichi, and it's time I set you upon the world before it's too late. It's always been the reason I've made you, I'm afraid."

"You won't die, we won't let you." Ryuichi said firmly. "There is no _too late._"

"Oh, I will, it's not something one can put off indefinitely. At the end of the day, you'll find that biology factors less into it than we would like to think." The man breathed out a hefty breath. "My last request is simple, though: make this a world where our kind may live in peace. Make it a kind world, different from this warlike chaos the humans have caused. I know you'll be able to do it, and be able to bring equality to all our suffering brethren."

"I will be sent to Japan then?" Ryuichi looked down stiffly. Somewhere along the course of the conversation, he had begun holding the old man's hand, as he had when he was a child. They would be scattered now, him and his siblings. Thrown to the wind, made to settle in countries and start a worldwide takeover. They were capable…but who would stay and look after Father?

"Yes, I think you'll enjoy it there. It will be a good place to look over your siblings and reign in the more reckless ones." The man patted his head with a trembling hand, ruffling the hair that the boy learned to control with gel. "It will be okay, my boy, you will become a fine ruler."

And really, when one's creator asked a favor of one, there was only one proper response. "Yes, Father." Ryuichi bowed his head.


End file.
